In the first years of computers, the Command Line Interface (CLI) was a popular choice as a way of interacting with the computer system.
From the early 1970's, the Unix system ran on most computers and was the pioneer of the CLI. Unix had the ability to use outputs from commands as inputs other commands. It also had the potential to save and re-run strings of command that were custom set by the user.
This is a screenshot of the Unix operating system. Notice the distinct lack of colour apart from the blue outline
As time went on, more and more computers were made all of which had the CLI installed on them. These interfaces were nearly always in the form of a BASIC interpreter. This interpreter was ideal for first time computer users that had no exeprience using one before as it was incredibly easy to use.
The commands were straightforward and simple to learn and it brought a whole new form of accessibility to computer users.
In the mid 1980's, a new type of software called CP/M (Control Program/Monitor) was produced and this brought new features to the table such as a BIOS (albeit very basic), file systems, etc. The man who made this, Gary Kildall, had written the best selling operating system of the time, selling around 600,000 copies.
This software was then to go on and be the basis for the MS-DOS (Microsoft - Disk Operating System).
An original IBM PC running CP/M
MS-DOS start-up screen
The most common and well-known CLI is MS-DOS. It is a single-user, single-tasking operating system.
MS-DOS copied many features from the Unix system but it never once rivalled it in terms of performance or functionality as Unix was multi-user and multi-tasking.
In addition to this major flaw, Apple Macintosh were bringing about a new line of GUI operating systems that would overtake the CLI in terms of ease of use, etc. Some older GUI systems such as Windows 2000 still had a copy of MS-DOS should users need them for MS-DOS specific programs.
Command Line Interface examples
In the first years of computers, the Command Line Interface (CLI) was a popular choice as a way of interacting with the computer system.
From the early 1970's, the Unix system ran on most computers and was the pioneer of the CLI. Unix had the ability to use outputs from commands as inputs other commands. It also had the potential to save and re-run strings of command that were custom set by the user.
As time went on, more and more computers were made all of which had the CLI installed on them. These interfaces were nearly always in the form of a BASIC interpreter. This interpreter was ideal for first time computer users that had no exeprience using one before as it was incredibly easy to use.
The commands were straightforward and simple to learn and it brought a whole new form of accessibility to computer users.
In the mid 1980's, a new type of software called CP/M (Control Program/Monitor) was produced and this brought new features to the table such as a BIOS (albeit very basic), file systems, etc. The man who made this, Gary Kildall, had written the best selling operating system of the time, selling around 600,000 copies.
This software was then to go on and be the basis for the MS-DOS (Microsoft - Disk Operating System).
MS-DOS copied many features from the Unix system but it never once rivalled it in terms of performance or functionality as Unix was multi-user and multi-tasking.
In addition to this major flaw, Apple Macintosh were bringing about a new line of GUI operating systems that would overtake the CLI in terms of ease of use, etc. Some older GUI systems such as Windows 2000 still had a copy of MS-DOS should users need them for MS-DOS specific programs.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command-line_interface#Early_history
http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_new/computer%20systems/user_interface/miniweb/pg3.htm
http://linux.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Access-Point-Utilities-for-Unix-Screenshot-336.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASIC
http://www.linfo.org/ms-dos.html